QUANTUM  DUMPS
HOLDIN  OUR  OWN

What will we do now that the public has seen through their little ploy, convincing them that they were Australia’s Own?

If basic German Engineering coupled with archaic American straight Six technology in 1978 wasn’t enough, surely a Japanese motor for one model cycle should have, and failing that last prod, a Buick designed V6 ought to have.  The final straw was an engine which was made of parts from all over the globe – everywhere except Australia, and put together in Victoria.

Was there any thought of reconfiguring the basic chassis to a more versatile platform?  The whole world has moved to front wheel drive, offering greater space efficiency, economy and flexibility of design.  Holden’s planners were in a time warp, reliving the glory days of Sedan Car Racing- long irrelevant to the masses. Who, in an energy precious world envisaged increasing an optional 6.0 litre V8 to 6.2 litres?  How non conscious of the world’s energy and greenhouse problems?  Equally, only a fanciful stylist could have so compromised rear visibility, stowage capacity and utility in creating a “Sports Wagon”? Aping again German and American styles, where numerous alternative configurations are available?  Here the only alternatives are from competitor vehicles, resulting in stolen sales and increased import vehicle penetration.

Australian values like ground clearance, space, economy, simple servicing and parts availability appear to be lost forever.

Have the manufacturers admitted that they wish us to live in a throwaway society, where if it is too hard to maintain, simply buy another one?

Should we the people continue to prop up these foreign owned behemoth companies, who send offshore a large part of their Government subsidies as straight profit to Head Office (in a clever indirect manner) enabling justification to their foreign masters to continue manufacturing in Australia.

Do we really need to prop up this industry, in the name of the “flow on” and multiplier effect on smaller locally(?) owned parts suppliers?

Have we really been better served by the surviving manufacturers than by those which have fallen by the wayside – e.g. the VW Beetle, Datsun 120 Y and the mighty Leyland P76? If India perpetuated the Morris Oxford from 1954 could not Australia have retained the above named masterpieces?  Who knows, by now all the bugs may have been ironed out of the P76!

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